Afghan cinema's fading star

Afghanistan's once glittering movie industry is a shadow of its former self.

The few cinemas in Kabul to survive decades of war and Taliban rule are run-down and shabby.

Their projection equipment is ancient and spare parts are hard to find.

The movie on show is one of many brought in from abroad.

SOUNDBITE: NANGYALI, CINEMA GOER, SAYING (Dari):

"The movies we see here and in other cinemas are from Pakistan and other foreign countries. We would like to see our own Afghan movies but we aren't making any. It would be joyful to watch Afghan films."

This movie being made in Kabul last year is one of the few Afghan productions of the past decade.

Foreign funded movies using Afghan settings, like the Kite Runner in 2007, have enjoyed international success.

But Afghan Film boss Latif Ahmadi fears the lights could go out on the Afghan movie industry for good without government help and better funding.

SOUNDBITE: LATIF AHMADI, HEAD OF AFGHAN FILMS, SAYING (Dari):

"If the situation for Afghan cinema does not improve and the government doesn't pay attention, I want to say with courage that the Afghan cultural centres we call the cinema will soon close, given today's situation and the flow of world movies in Afghanistan. The Afghan cinema industry is going down."

Government inaction isn't solely to blame.

Many Afghans now have access to DVD players and television and they're snapping up foreign movie imports.

SOUNDBITE: ASADULLAH, DVD SELLER IN KABUL, SAYING (Dari):

"In the past our people didn't have access to CDs, DVDs and television but now most of them do, so they just buy a CD or DVD and watch with their families at home. They don't need to go to the cinema to watch a movie."

It's not just the future of Afghanistan's movie industry at stake but also its past.

Afghanistan has more than 7, 000 cases in its archives containing at least 50 feature films and decades of events in national history.

Without proper maintenance and digital copying there's a danger they too could be lost forever

Paul Chapman, Reuters